AN: So sorry for the delay in getting this next bit up. Hopefully it won't be too long between updates anymore though I do have a lot going on the next week or two at least. Taking requests for things the readers would like to see in this pregnancy.

He's standing at the bottom of the stairs, eyes on his watch as he waits for Ruth. It's the second Saturday of July and they've got the weekend off. The perfect time to begin cleaning out the overgrown back garden for Scarlett and the twins. Or at least it was according to Ruth.

Harry would rather bring someone in to professionally do it. It's not that he doesn't like gardening; no, actually, that was exactly it. Garden work has never been something that ranks high on his list of fun things to do and spending the next two days ripping out overrun ivy and trimming wild hedges just isn't something he's looking forward too.

But Ruth has been insistent that they're going to do and who is he to argue with his twenty-week pregnant wife.

Which is how he has found himself standing in the entry way at eight in the morning. Waiting. A final glance at his watch has him prepared to call out for her again when he hears the gentle footfalls of her feet on the hall floor. As she rounds the corner, he looks up and the smile he had been prepared to offer her slides from his face.

"What are you wearing?"

Stopping on the middle of the stair case, Ruth looks down at her outfit, a questioning frown on her lips as she looks at the fitted green t-shirt, jean shorts, and green trainers she's just finished putting on.

"Some of the clothes you bought me."

Looking back up at him, she finishes walking down the steps to stand in front of him.

"You can't go out dressed like that!"

Eyebrow lifting, she looks at her outfit a second time before she meets his heated gaze.

"Excuse me?"

Fingers sliding over the bare skin of her upper arm, Harry gently turns her round on the steps. "Go get changed. I like the tan linen skirt and that deep red jumper."

Turning, she glares at him.

"It's 27 degrees out!"

"So?" he asks, his lips tightening at her glare.

"Harry..." she begins to say, a warning to her voice.

"I am not spending the morning watching other men ogle my wife."

"We're going to the Garden Center." she says, exasperation filling her voice.

"Exactly the type of men to ogle a beautiful woman!"

"I'm five months pregnant with twins!"

"Who happens to be showing off amazing legs with how short those shorts are."

Fingers sliding down the fabric, Ruth glances down, shaking her head as she does so.

"They reach the middle of my thighs."

"Entirely too short."

"Harry, I'm not going to fight you on this. It's hot out, I'm hormonal, and one of your children is currently resting against my sciatic nerve; which by the way isn't a good sign for when we're further along. I'm wearing the shorts. End of discussion."

With a sigh, Harry runs his hand across his face. "Ruth..."

"No. This is what I'm wearing and you can either come with me and be quiet or stay home and pout. The choice is yours."

Lowering his head, Harry places his hand on her left hip and rubs it gently through the material.

"Harry would you stop glaring at that man?" Ruth hisses, her eyes lifting from the different glove choices to meet his.

"He's staring at you." he growls, his hand resting firmly in the middle of her back.

"He's blind Harry!"

"Still shouldn't be looking at you." he mumbles, stepping closer to her back in a sign of possessiveness. Pressing his lips against the side of her head, he speaks louder as he continues to glower in the direction of the blind man. "And what about the last one?"

Putting the thinner gloves back on the shelf, Ruth places the thicker pairs in the basket. "He was helping us find a rake and these gloves." Pausing a moment, she turns her head and looks at him. "Besides, you frightened him so much with your constant glaring that he wouldn't even talk to me."

"Good. I thought he was a bit seedy."

"He was sixteen and called me ma'm."

Hands on the rail, Ruth shakes her head and pushes the buggy down the long isle, all the while listening to Harry grumble under his breath. In most cases, his over protectiveness has been sweet; carrying the wash between the floors, helping her with the shopping, rubbing her sore hip and back at night; but he's also had a problem with any man speaking to her. And it's getting to be annoying.

As they walk into the furniture section, Ruth stops to look at a children's adventure set. It's far too early to even consider having one for the twins but one day in the future they'll need one. As they pass a slide, Ruth sees Harry's mouth opening and she sighs, her hand lifting from the buggy to cover his lips.

"Don't even. He's 5!"

Hand wiping across his brow, Harry pulls another branch free from the back corner. They've been back here for an hour and all they've managed to do is rake the dead leaves into a large pile. Sometime in the few years he's lived here, one of the smaller trees had died, it's branches falling around its base. If they're going to trim the hedges - and Harry wants to see the state of the old fence behind them - he's going to have to clean them out.

He's managed to drag three of the medium sized branches out when he hears her voice behind him. Stopping, he turns to see her standing on the patio of broken brick, a bottle of water in her hand.

"Harry just leave the larger branches. At least until tomorrow. Adam, Jo, and Zaf have all said they'd get them and the ivy out for us."

Crossing to her, he takes the bottle of water and drinks, the cold liquid quenching his thirst. "I don't see why you invited them over. I told you I could do it."

She stares at him, her fingers wrapping around his on the bottle. "Are you going to fight with me over everything or is today just a bad day?"

"I don't like how he looks at you." Letting her take the bottle, he wraps an arm around her waist and presses a light kiss against her lips before stepping back.

"Who? Zaf? He's being friendly."

"He stares at your breasts with a look of longing in his eyes."

"Harry..."

Another press of his lips against hers, Harry sighs before taking her hand and leading her towards the overgrown weeds that once was a flower bed.

"Fine. I'll let it go. But if he makes a pass at you, I can't promise I won't kill him." Fingers sliding around hers, he looks around. "Where do you want to start?"

TBC